Rent vs Buy: True Cost Calculator

Compare renting vs owning using real costs—taxes, insurance, maintenance, closing and selling costs, and opportunity cost.

• Includes maintenance and selling costs

• Credits equity and home appreciation

• Accounts for investment returns if you rent

• Shows your break-even point

Enter your details below to compare the true cost of renting versus buying.
This calculator is neutral, it doesn’t assume buying is better than renting or vice versa.

How this calculator works

This calculator compares renting and buying by looking at real, long-term costs, not just monthly payments.

Here’s what it does in simple terms:

Renting path:
Assumes you invest the money you don’t spend on a down payment, closing costs, and any monthly savings. That invested money grows based on the return you choose.
Buying path:
Estimates how much cash you’d have if you sold the home at the end of your stay, after accounting for mortgage payments, home value growth, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and selling costs.
Break-even point:
Shows when buying begins to financially outperform renting, if it does at all within your chosen time frame.

The results depend heavily on how long you stay, how fast home values grow, investment returns, and total ownership costs.

Small changes in assumptions can change the outcome.

This tool is designed to be neutral, it doesn’t assume buying or renting is always better.